John f



(-No Model.)

- J. P. MARSHALL.

BOX FOR MATCHES, 6m.

No. 403,685. Patented May 21 1889 16 fi z) M1 I El /i. I I

UNITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

Jonx 1i MARsnALL, or mice, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR 'ro JOHN H. FINKS, or SAMEPLACE.

BOX FOR MATCHES, 86C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,685, dated May 21,1889.

Application filed March 5, 1389. Serial No. 301,95'7- (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN F. MARsHALL, of aco, in the county of McLennanand State of Texas, have invented certain new and use ful Improvementsin Boxes for Matches and other Articles, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to boxes or cases of the class having foldingsecuring flaps or covers; and my object is to provide boxes of simpleconstruction in which may be packed and secured and protected matches,cigarettes, cigars, stick-candy, pencils, and other articles, and fromwhich the articles may readily be removed one or more at a time, asdesired, without destruction or injury of the boxes.

To this end my invention comprises, as hereinafter to be more fullyexplained, a box or case open at one extremity for insertion and removalof its contents, and provided with a slot or opening extending from itsopen extremity to or nearly to its opposite extremity to permit accessto and removal of its contents, and having a folding flap or coveradapted to close its openings and be detachably secured so as toeffectually confine and protect the contents of the box.

In the accompanying drawings, which show a box suitably constructed inaccordance with in yinvention, Figure 1 is a view iifperspective, withthe cover of the box opened and extended. Figs. 2 and 3 are a plan viewand a side elevation, respectively, of a box of somewhat modifiedconstruction. Fig. 4 represents, 011 a reduced scale, a prepared blankfor formation into a box.

As in this instance shown, and as I prefer to construct it, the box ismade of straw-board or thick paper from a blank creased to predeterminethe various lines upon which the box-body A is folded into shape, aswell as the lines upon which the flap or cover B flexes in closing andopening. At one extremity the box-body is open, as at C, and a fingerslot or opening, D, at front extends therefrom to or nearly to theopposite closed extremity of the body. At either side of this slot D,and extending from the open to the closed extremity of the body, are thepermanent front portions or walls, a a, of the box-body. The body-lip E,which folds over upon the boxbody for closing it at one end of thefingerslot, is securely pasted (it may be riveted 0r secured by eyelets,if desired) to the body at opposite sides of the slot. The securing flapor cover B, in opening and folding over the openings C D, flexes on thecreased lines o and (Z. Perforations may be made along these lines, ifdesired.

The flap, although shown as much wider, may, if preferred, be made of awidth from the crease d to its lip I) only sufficient to cover thefinger-slot. hen the cover is closed, its lip 17 is engaged with thebody and held in place in suitable Way, as by insertion into a securingrecess or pocket formed at e by the finger-slot within the body-lip E.Other Ways of detachably fastening the cover when closed may be resortedto-such, for instance, as represented in Figs. 2 and 3, which show anordinary paper-fastener, H, for securing the cover to the body, thefastener being passed through the body-lip E and through a hole in thecover and clinched.

A strip or plate, I, of paper, wood, metal, &c., is preferably, but notnecessarily, placed in the box, closing the finger-slot to moreeffectually protect the contents of the box, and also facilitating theinsertion of the fastening-lip 1) into its recess by preventing contactof this lip with the articles in the box. Vhen this plate is notemployed, a strip may be secured, as by pasting, to the box-body insideand across the finger-slot opposite to the body-lip E, thus providing asnugly-fitting securingrecess for the securing-lip of the cover andguarding against its contact with the contents of the box.

The articles-matches, for instanceare placed in the box so as to extendin the direction of their length transversely to or crosswise of thefinger-slot. Then the matches, &c., are wanted for use, the box is heldwith the open extremity upward, the cover is released and the boxopened, the protecting plate, if employed, is removed, and with fingerand thumb the articles are taken out, one or more at a time, as wanted.The finger-slot affords ready access to the articles in the box as theyare diminished by consumption.

Vhen used for matches, the boxes in which the matches may be packed andcompletely confined for protection by the manufacturers also serve asmateh-safes. By providing one or more holes, J, in the box-cover, thebox may be hung up in convenient position. One or more of the exteriorsurfaces of the box may be sanded to provide for readily lighting thematches by striking them on such roughened surfaces.

Boxes or cases may be made in accordance with my invention ofgreatly-varying dimensions and capacity to adapt them for use aspacking-cases for many different articles to which ready access may behad for inspection and removal, and the boxes, instead of being composedof paper, may be made in Whole or in part of other materials, such asthin flexible sheet metal, leather, disc.

The box-bodies maybe made of stiff metal, glass, Wood, &c., and thecover of paper, flexible sheet metal, leather, &c., or of rigid materialprovided With suitable joints for folding.

I claim as my invention 1. The box or case having the respectively openand closed opposite extremities, the finger-slot extending between them,the permanent front portions or walls at opposite sides of said slotextending from the open to the closed extremity, and the securing flapor cover for closing the slot and open extremity to confine and protectthe contents of the box or case, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

2. The box or case open at one extremity and closed at the oppositeextremity, having the finger-slot and the permanent front portions orWalls at either side thereof extending from the open to the closedextremity, and With the securing flap or cover having the bodyrengaginglip and completely closing the open extremity and slot, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

J OHN F. MARSHALL. Witnesses:

M. M. BAGGERs, (Drum. 11. LEDRUM.

